In article ,
"TBI" wrote:

"Melba's Jammin'" wrote in message
...

marketing thing.

Kind of like here where the "all-fruit spreads" are pitched to the
public as having no added sugar? Whoops!! "Liar, liar, pants on fire,
nose is as long as a telephone wire." They use fruit juices as
sweetener -- typically apple, white grape, or pear juice. (Hint:
they're sweet because of the sugars they contain.) The end product ends
up having maybe 10 fewer calories per tablespoon than a full sugar
product. A few grams less of carbohydrates, too.


"TBI" wrote in message
...
Hi Folks,

I'm looking at making red pepper jelly for sale to local
markets. I'm wanting to avoid using anything artificial. I want
to keep the ingredients as simple and as natural as possible.
The problem is that commercailly available Pectins contain
additivies.


So do some jellies. :-)
Ball brand Fruit Jell powdered pectin (i use it exclusively because it
is less expensive than Sure?Jell or Certo) lists ingredients as
dextrose, fruit pectin, and citric acid. Dextrose is a sugar. It's
there to prevent the powdered pectin from caking. Citric acid adds
acidity which helps the set and reduces the pH level. What's the
problem, other than availability?

I agree with you totaly, but citric acid sounds chemically - and so does
dextrose. I know what they are and where they come from - I've no problem
coz I understand food, but to the uninitiated they don't look natural. It's
more of a branding thing. It gives people a warm fuzzy feeling.

Mat

In a word, pishtosh! You're talking about a "branding thing" and giving
people a warm fuzzy feeling. Kewl. So your labels say, "Ingredients:
Sugar, vinegar, peppers, fruit pectin (mixed with dextrose [a natural
sugar], and citric acid (to brighten the flavor and assist in the
gelling process). BTW, citric acid sounds no more chemical than
ascorbic acid, er-r-r-r vitamin C.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor
4/23/2008 The rains fall on the just and the unjust alike; sometimes
our umbrellas are not wide enough to keep us dry.